America is paralyzed until something is done about the Trump "problem".

As of right now, the earliest something can be done is early November, when people vote in the mid-term elections.

Some have deceived themselves into believing that the economy is booming because of the leadership and policies of Donald Trump. In truth, it is happening in spite of Donald Trump. The huge taxcuts and the cuts in regulations have put dollar signs in the eyes of every businessman in America. The stock market roared with enthusiasm.

Unfortunately, the damage done with the repeal of regulations and the huge increase in the national deficit have yet to be recognized. However, many economists will say that this is the beginning of the end of the "Obama recovery", which began after the previous Republican economic disaster.

But, the ""Trump problem" is much more than just the economy. There is a criminal sitting in the White House. The instability and the incompetence, coupled with the criminality, has frozen America in place. There can be no progress, or any movement at all, until something is resolved with the lying narcissist sitting in the people's White House.

If the Democrats cannot take control of the House in November, America will remain paralyzed until Mr Mueller exposes the "con" job perpetrated on the American people.

10. I'm 45, I've seen American politics change in my life time

I remember as a kid listening to adults talk politics in the 70s and 80s. I've always been a natural liberal in a conservative family on my father's side, so I didn't agree or understand their arguments much, but it was intelligent talk. Also it was rational adults debating issues rationally and respectfully.

Then Newt Gingrich showed up in 1994 and changed everything.

Not only did the Republican party and the Conservative movement take a hard right turn, it also got mean and clannish. They've been this way ever since. Then W came along, bringing with him a willful ignorance and under him the party actually purged what remained of its intelligentsia. Suddenly George Will, who is not dumb, and his ilk had no home. And they're still outside looking in today.

Its astounding. Republicans are now the party of mean, stupid people and nothing else.

12. Here in Europe, I am constantly asked, "how does your country even continue to function?"

I explain that we are on a kind of national auto-pilot.

I have flown back to the USA a total of six times now since the election of 2016. What has changed physically, and for me personally? Not a whole hell of a lot. The ocean water off of Cape Cod is a little warmer, but it has been getting progressively warmer for two decades now. A few people I know have retired, some have gotten married, one has died (he was 91 and ill with cancer). But we keep on keeping on, and try to spend our short time there with the good people we always spend time with.

But the awful changes we know are coming will be slow to manifest themselves in the eyes of the superficial visitor (Lawrence, Massachusetts is not on the list of "must-see" places in New England). The horrible part is that it will take just as long, if not longer, to reverse them.

13. "America is paralyzed." That is exactly how I would describe our current situation.

With a Senate, a House and a President working for power rather than for the people, we can only try to obstruct, and have precious little ability to do even that. All we can do is vote, and vote we will.

16. The bad guys stupid people let get into power are not paralyzed,

though. As you say. I agree with everything but that paralysis word. Far more is happening than cable news talks about, and the right is far from paralyzed.

They're very busy at work destroying what they don't like in our government, institutionalizing corruption to serve them, packing our courts with right-wing extremists, and diverting America's wealth and power to them before they lose control of congress. If they keep control of congress, overdrive gets shifted into hyperdrive.

The one place we have an advantage is through the justice system. Much slower, acting after damage is done and only able to undo part, but the courts aren't paralyzed and are still by far mostly our weapon. But there also a very dynamic right is close to crippling the left.

And removing the president won't stop them. But taking control of BOTH houses can.